Oakland Raiders And The NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is a  crap shoot.  At least, if you are the Oakland Raiders it is.

I challenge anyone to show me a team more inept at using first round draft choices than the Raiders.  This decade, they have used first round draft choices on Darrius Heyward-Bey, Darren McFadden, Jamarcus Russell, Michael Huff, Fabian Washington, Robert Gallery, Nnamdi Asomugha-Tyler Brayton, Philip Buchanon-Napolean Harris, Derrick Gibson, and Sebastian Janikowski.  The hits were Gallery (although at guard, not at LT where was supposed to be a cant miss), Asomugha, and Janikowski.  None of the others have as of yet contributed much of anything positive to the franchise.

Here is a list of some of the first round players taken after the Raiders selected in this decade: 

Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Darelle Revis in 2007 (Russell).  Santonio Holmes, DeAngelo Williams in 06 (Huff).  Aaron Rodgers, Roddy White, Luis Castillo, Marlin Jackson, Heath Miller and Logan Mankins in 05 (Washington).  Larry Fitzgerald, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Tommy Harris, Vince Wilfork in 04 (Gallery).  Ed Reed in 02 (Harris).  Reggie Wayne and Drew Brees (taken with the first pick of round two....4 picks after Oakland chose Derrick Gibson).  Shaun Alexander in 2000 (Janikowski).  There are some big names in this list!

Now, to be fair the Raiders have found some good talent in later rounds of the draft.  Zack Miller, Mike Bush, Oren Oneal, Mario Henderson, Thomas Howard, Kirk Morrison, Justin Fargas, Ronald Curry and Shane Lechler. 

These picks cannot, however, offset the choices of Stryker Sulak, Arman Shields, Quentin Moses, John Bowie, Eric Frampton, Darnell Bing, Kevin McMahon, Ryan Riddle, Carlos Francis, Johnny Morant, Shawn Johnson, Cody Spencer, Teyo Johnson, Shurron Pierson, Dustin Rykert,  Sideeq Shabazz, Ryan Hoag, Keyon Nash, Larry Ned, DeLawrence Grant, Raymond Perryman, Ken-Yon Rambo, and Clifton Black.  All of these names either never played a single down for Oakland.....or were mostly inneffective when they did play.

So, what do the Raiders have to show for their last 3 high first round choices?  They have a WR taken at #7 who cant run routes or consistantly catch the ball.  They have a RB taken at #4 who fumbles too often and hasn't shown the game breaking ability he was supposed to have.  And, they have a QB taken #1 overall who who has gone 6-20 as a starter and has shown no ability or desire to get better.

Herein lies the root of the Raiders problems.  You have to hit on these high first round picks.  The 90's Cowboys took Aikman, Smith and Irvin and made them their franchise.  They were "The Triplets".  I dont see the Raiders version of The Triplets, Russell McFadden and Bey, doing the same for their organization.

The Draft....where franchises are made and lost.